Paul Martin Pearson
Encyclopedia
Dr. Paul Martin Pearson (October 22, 1871 – March 26, 1938) was an author, college professor, and a very embattled first civilian Governor of the United States Virgin Islands.
Pearson was born in Litchfield, Illinois
and attended Baker University
in Baldwin City, Kansas
for his Master of Arts
degree. He subsequently obtained his doctorate at Northwestern University
and did some teaching there, before moving to Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
and becoming a professor of Public Speaking
at Swarthmore College
. He also wrote several books on public speaking. He was also a major advocate of the Chautauqua
movement in the US and founded the Swarthmore Chautauqua Associations.
During World War I
, he was responsible for the YMCA
education programs in United States Army
cantonment
s.
Herbert Hoover
to be the first civilian Governor of the United States Virgin Islands
. His new government, inaugurated March 18, 1931, was given $763,000 ($8.5 million in inflation-adjusted 2005 dollars) to try and shore up the Islands' finances which were badly hurt by Prohibition
. (The primary export had been rum
.) They were also given the task of replacing all military-government officials with new civilian ones, a task which they were required to complete within the first six months. As a show of support, President Hoover visited the Virgin Islands (and Puerto Rico
) as a show of support for the new civilian administration.
(for an "efficiency investigation"). Under the civilian government, this budget reverted to the new Governor. While Pearson largely implemented Brown's existing programs, he was no longer given direct authority. Pearson was also criticized for cronyism
, including creating positions in his government (such as "Director of Adult Entertainment") which were given to friends from Pennsylvania. (Pearson rebutted that the positions were to help native morale.) On August 4, the Department of the Interior announced that Pearson would be not be ousted from his position.
Financial problems also plagued Pearson during his time as Governor as the US Government was providing $200,000 annually for aid. In November 1932, he proposed to Congress that the Islands be allowed to export rum
again, but only to foreigners so as not to violate Prohibition
. However, this became moot when the 21st Amendment
was ratified the following year.
Pearson continued to be unpopular with the locals, especially after passing a law which taxed all imported products from the United States
at 5%. On October 19, 1933, the populace of the Virgin Islands voted in a popular referendum
whether or not to ask President Franklin D. Roosevelt
to withdraw him.
In February 1934, Pearson declared personal bankruptcy
due to debts incurred while working with his Chautauqua organization in Pennsylvania.
Harold L. Ickes
for "disloyalty" and "insubordination" and ordered him to return to Washington, D.C.
for an investigation. Instead, Yates immediately resigned his position and traveled to Washington to meet with committees from both houses of Congress. He alleged to Congress that Ickes had been "outrageously deceived" by Pearson and that Pearson had been covering up scandals and mismanagement. Congress dispatched Ernest Gruening
, the chief of the Bureau of Territories and Insular Affairs to the Islands to investigate. Gruening found no mismanagement in his investigation. (Critics have pointed out that Gruening worked for Ickes and that he may not have been an unbiased investigator.) Despite this, on February 28, 1935, Congress voted to start their own independent investigation, to be led by Millard D. Tydings, a Senator. The Senate hearings continued, but President Roosevelt appointed Lawrence William Cramer
as the new Governor.
Pearson returned to the mainland to live in San Francisco, California
. On February 28, 1938, he suffered a stroke
. He died a month later.
Pearson was born in Litchfield, Illinois
Litchfield, Illinois
Litchfield is a city in Montgomery County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,815 at the 2000 census, and 6,588 in 2009. It is located in south central Illinois, south of Springfield and on the northern edge of the Greater St. Louis Metro-East area.-Attractions:The Ariston Cafe is one of...
and attended Baker University
Baker University
Baker University is a private, residential university located in Baldwin City, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker University is made up of four schools...
in Baldwin City, Kansas
Baldwin City, Kansas
Baldwin City is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States about south of Lawrence and west of Gardner. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,515. It is part of the Lawrence, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
for his Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree. He subsequently obtained his doctorate at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and did some teaching there, before moving to Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
Swarthmore is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Swarthmore was originally named Westdale in honor of noted painter Benjamin West, who was one of the early residents of the town. The name was changed to Swarthmore after the establishment of Swarthmore College...
and becoming a professor of Public Speaking
Public speaking
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...
at Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
. He also wrote several books on public speaking. He was also a major advocate of the Chautauqua
Chautauqua
Chautauqua was an adult education movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with...
movement in the US and founded the Swarthmore Chautauqua Associations.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he was responsible for the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
education programs in United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
s.
Governor of the Virgin Islands
In 1931, he was appointed by PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
to be the first civilian Governor of the United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
. His new government, inaugurated March 18, 1931, was given $763,000 ($8.5 million in inflation-adjusted 2005 dollars) to try and shore up the Islands' finances which were badly hurt by Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
. (The primary export had been rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
.) They were also given the task of replacing all military-government officials with new civilian ones, a task which they were required to complete within the first six months. As a show of support, President Hoover visited the Virgin Islands (and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
) as a show of support for the new civilian administration.
Herbert Brown Denouncement
Less than a year after taking office, friction developed between the Governor and Herbert D. Brown, the chief of the Bureau of Efficiency. Brown had previously endorsed Pearson for the position, but by June 1931, he had requested to Hoover and the Department of the Interior that Pearson be replaced. This dispute was in large part financial. Under the military government, Brown had operated a quasi-civilian government in St. Croix since 1928, using money allocated to that purpose by CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
(for an "efficiency investigation"). Under the civilian government, this budget reverted to the new Governor. While Pearson largely implemented Brown's existing programs, he was no longer given direct authority. Pearson was also criticized for cronyism
Cronyism
Cronyism is partiality to long-standing friends, especially by appointing them to positions of authority, regardless of their qualifications. Hence, cronyism is contrary in practice and principle to meritocracy....
, including creating positions in his government (such as "Director of Adult Entertainment") which were given to friends from Pennsylvania. (Pearson rebutted that the positions were to help native morale.) On August 4, the Department of the Interior announced that Pearson would be not be ousted from his position.
Financial problems also plagued Pearson during his time as Governor as the US Government was providing $200,000 annually for aid. In November 1932, he proposed to Congress that the Islands be allowed to export rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
again, but only to foreigners so as not to violate Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
. However, this became moot when the 21st Amendment
Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution repealed the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which had mandated nationwide Prohibition...
was ratified the following year.
Pearson continued to be unpopular with the locals, especially after passing a law which taxed all imported products from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at 5%. On October 19, 1933, the populace of the Virgin Islands voted in a popular referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
whether or not to ask President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
to withdraw him.
In February 1934, Pearson declared personal bankruptcy
Personal bankruptcy
Personal bankruptcy is a procedure which, in certain jurisdictions, allows an individual to declare bankruptcy. In other jurisdictions, bankruptcies are reserved for corporations.-Canada:...
due to debts incurred while working with his Chautauqua organization in Pennsylvania.
Investigations
In November 1934, a scandal erupted as Pearson's execuitive assistant, Paul C. Yates was fired by Secretary of the InteriorUnited States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
Harold L. Ickes
Harold L. Ickes
Harold LeClair Ickes was a United States administrator and politician. He served as United States Secretary of the Interior for 13 years, from 1933 to 1946, the longest tenure of anyone to hold the office, and the second longest serving Cabinet member in U.S. history next to James Wilson. Ickes...
for "disloyalty" and "insubordination" and ordered him to return to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
for an investigation. Instead, Yates immediately resigned his position and traveled to Washington to meet with committees from both houses of Congress. He alleged to Congress that Ickes had been "outrageously deceived" by Pearson and that Pearson had been covering up scandals and mismanagement. Congress dispatched Ernest Gruening
Ernest Gruening
Ernest Henry Gruening was an American journalist and Democrat who was the Governor of the Alaska Territory from 1939 until 1953, and a United States Senator from Alaska from 1959 until 1969.-Early life:...
, the chief of the Bureau of Territories and Insular Affairs to the Islands to investigate. Gruening found no mismanagement in his investigation. (Critics have pointed out that Gruening worked for Ickes and that he may not have been an unbiased investigator.) Despite this, on February 28, 1935, Congress voted to start their own independent investigation, to be led by Millard D. Tydings, a Senator. The Senate hearings continued, but President Roosevelt appointed Lawrence William Cramer
Lawrence William Cramer
Lawrence William Cramer was the second civilian Governor of the United States Virgin Islands.Cramer was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and obtained a master's degree from Columbia University. He then spent two years in the United States...
as the new Governor.
Pearson returned to the mainland to live in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. On February 28, 1938, he suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
. He died a month later.